Joanne Witt
Stella Sola has only been open a couple of weeks, but if my first meals are any indication of what is to come, I suspect that Bryan Caswell and Bill Floyd of Reef and Little Big's have another hit on their hands.

The restaurant, on the site of the now defunct Bedford, has been completely redesigned and the look and feel is distinctively different. From the moment I walked in the door I felt special (in the spirit of full disclosure, the staff does know me). But part of the special had to do with the excitement that was in the air. Watching the busy open kitchen, seeing the staff scurrying around with lots of great smelling dishes, all added the anticipation of the special meal that would follow.

Actually I ate there two nights a row. The first night, I joined a couple of my friends for dessert. While they were finishing their mains: a melt-in-your-mouth braised short rib and a perfectly seasoned spaghetti and meatballs, I enjoyed a jammy glass of red wine.

Two desserts were ordered. The first was the Caramel Turtle Affogato, with salted caramel gelato, espresso chocolate and candied pecans. The second was the Pistachio Pound Cake, with mascarpone, sour cherries and grappa. Both were more than satisfying and neither were overly sweet.

The house charcuterie: Joanne Witt

The next night, I met a friend for dinner. We were seated in the smaller dinning room, where you can see meats that are curing behind a glass wall. Another side of the room features wine racks that are only partially filled at this point. Dave Poss, the sommelier, recommended a lovely bottle of wine that was value priced as I had requested.

We decided to forgo getting any main courses and ordered four appetizers instead.

The first dish to arrive was the house charcuterie platter, currently an off menu. The platter included a lardo spread on toast, cured duck, pancetta, pepperoni, Tuscan sausage and culatello. Chef Justin Bayse is not known as the Big Salami for nothing. This was a hit. The meats were all flavorful. It was my introduction to lardo and I could have eaten a plate of it with toast. When did I develop this obsession with eating fat? It could be my culinary downfall.
Bone Marrow: Joanne Witt
Next came the bone marrow served with a variety of condiments including pickled peppers, pickled mustard seed, salsa verde, grey sea salt, fennel-onion jam and green tomato-poblano jam, along with smoked ciabatta toast points. The bone marrow was delicious and was helped by having the perfect accessories to make this an enjoyable dish.

It was followed by another favorite of the evening: a simple yet elegant Goat Cheese Panna Cotta with roasted and pickled beets and parsley jus. It was creamy, refreshing, flavorful and totally satisfying. (This is a dish I want to try to make at home.)
Goat Cheese Panna Cota: Joanne Witt
The final dish, my dinning companion’s favorite, was the Butternut Squash Ravioli with pear vinaigrette, arugula and amaretto cookies. Another home run, it was savory with a touch of sweetness and the perfect end to a meal that had me feeling stuffed.

Dinner at Stella Sola can be an enchanted evening. I love the open kitchen and the elegant feel of the dinning room. Everything was fresh and well prepared and reports from various friends indicate that they are also experiencing similar meals.

To top it off, all the attention left me feeling a bit like royalty. But, then again, I am the Food Princess.